In 1972, when then President Ferdinand Marcos decreed martial law (ML) in the entire Philippines, Congress was ordered padlocked, opposition personalities were arrested, along with known media critics of the Marcos regime. Media establishments were also ordered closed, and press censorship was imposed, with the press having to clear its reports with the military officer assigned as censor in media offices before any news report could be published. Also, military officers took over the management and control of private establishments.

The family of Andal Ampatuan Sr., the governor of Maguindanao, must be extremely unhappy with the treatment that the family is receiving at the hands of the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I can imagine the Ampatuan family patriarch cursing and spouting epithets, from his military-hospital bed, at the Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidate for representative of the second district of Pampanga.

The Ampatuans own 23 mansions with four big ones in Shariff, Aguak, Maguin-danao and two big ones in Davao City, estimated to cost P700 million to P900 million. They also own big tracks of land. They own a big fleet of luxury cars totaling more than 50, mostly Ford Expeditions, F-150s, Range Rovers, Toyota Land Cruisers and GM Suburbans, all colored black, estimated to cost P200 million. It has been reported that the Ampatuans took away 17 sacks of money from their mansion’s vaults. It was also reported that in a trip to Mecca, he carried $6.3 million.

SHARIFF AGUAK — The Philippine military is confident of quashing a rogue politician’s militia in the troubled south, but worried the offensive is creating power vacuums from which more fearsome forces could emerge.

President Gloria Arroyo imposed martial rule and deployed thousands of troops in Maguindanao .... MORE